the daisy chain, or aspirations-第97章

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quiet　observation；　that　the　town　girls　seemed　to　fare　as　ill　with
her；　as　the　Cocksmoor　girls　did　with　the　town　ladies。　　Then　she
caught　herself　up；　tried　to　be　candid；　and　found　that　she　was　not
always　impartial　in　her　judgments。　　Why　would　competition　mingle　even
in　the　best　attempts？

Cherry　did　not　so　bring　forward　her　scholars　that　Ethel　could　have
many　triumphs　of　this　dangerous　kind。　　Indeed；　Ethel　was　often　vexed
with　her；　for　though　she　taught　needlework　admirably；　and　enforced
correct　reading；　and　reverent　repetition；　her　strong　provincial
dialect　was　a　stumbling…block；　she　could　not　put　questions　without
book；　and　nothing　would　teach　her　Ethel's　rational　system　of
arithmetic。　　That　she　was　a　capital　dame；　and　made　the　children　very
good；　was　allowed；　but　now　and　then；　when　mortified　by　hearing　what
was　done　at　Stoneborough；　Fordholm；　or　Abbotstoke；　Ethel　would　make
vigorous　efforts；　which　resulted　only　in　her　coming　home　fuming　at
Cherry's　〃outrageous　dullness。〃

These　railings　always　hurt　Margaret；　who　had　made　Cherry　almost　into
a　friend；　and　generally　liked　to　have　a　visit　from　her　during　the
Sunday；　when　she　always　dined　with　the　servants。　　Then　school
questions；　Cocksmoor　news；　and　the　tempers　of　the　children；　were
talked　over；　and　Cherry　was　now　and　then　drawn　into　home
reminiscences；　and　descriptions　of　the　ways　of　her　former　school。
There　was　no　fear　of　spoiling　hernotice　from　her　superiors　was
natural　to　her；　and　she　had　the　lady…likeness　of　womanly　goodness；　so
as　never　to　go　beyond　her　own　place。　　She　had　had　many　trials　too；
and　Margaret　learned　the　true　history　of　them；　as　she　won　Cherry's
confidence；　and　entered　into　them；　feeling　their　likeness；　yet
dissimilarity；　to　her　own。

Cherry　had　been　a　brisk　happy　girl　in　a　good　place；　resting　in　one　of
the　long　engagements　that　often　extend　over　half　the　life　of　a
servant；　enjoying　the　nod　of　her　baker　as　he　left　his　bread；　and　her
walk　from　church　with　him　on　alternate　Sundays。　　But　poor　Cherry　had
been　exposed　to　the　perils　of　window…cleaning；　and；　after　a　frightful
fall；　had　wakened　to　find　herself　in　a　hospital；　and　her　severe
sufferings　had　left　her　a　cripple　for　life。

And　the　baker　had　not　been　an　Alan　Ernescliffe！　　She　did　not　complain
of　himhe　had　come　to　see　her；　and　had　been　much　grieved；　but　she
had　told　him　she　could　never　be　a　useful　wife；　and；　before　she　had
used　her　crutches；　he　was　married　to　her　pretty　fellow…servant。

Cherry　spoke　very　simply；　she　hoped　it　was　better　for　Long；　and
believed　Susan　would　make　him　a　good　wife。　　Ethel　would　have　thought
she　did　not　feel；　but　Margaret　knew　better。

She　stroked　the　thin　slight　fingers；　and　gently　said；　〃Poor　Cherry！〃
and　Cherry　wiped　away　a　tear；　and　said；　〃Yes；　ma'am；　thank　you；　it　is
best　for　him。　　I　should　not　have　wished　him　to　grieve　for　what　cannot
be　helped。〃

〃Resignation　is　the　great　comfort。〃

〃Yes；　ma'am。　　I　have　a　great　deal　to　be　thankful　for。　　I　don't　blame
no　one；　but　I　do　see　how　some；　as　are　married；　seem　to　get　to　think
more　of　this　world；　and　now　and　then　I　fancy　I　can　see　how　it　is　best
for　me　as　it　is。〃

Margaret　sighed；　as　she　remembered　certain　thoughts　before　Alan's
return。

〃Then；　ma'am；　there　has　been　such　goodness！　　I　did　vex　at　being　a
poor　helpless　thing；　nothing　but　a　burden　on　father；　and　when　we　had
to　go　from　home；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hazlewood　and　all；　I　can't　tell　you
how　bad　it　was；　ma'am。〃

〃Then　you　are　comforted　now？〃

〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　said　Cherry；　brightening。　　〃It　seems　as　if　He　had　given
me　something　to　do；　and　there　are　you；　and　Mr。　Richard；　and　Miss
Ethel；　to　help。　　I　should　like；　please　God；　to　be　of　some　good　to
those　poor　children。〃

〃I　am　sure　you　will；　Cherry；　I　wish　I　could　do　as　much。〃

Cherry's　tears　had　come　again。　　〃Ah！　ma'am；　you〃　and　she　stopped
short；　and　rose　to　depart。　　Margaret　held　out　her　hand　to　wish　her
good…bye。　　〃Please；　miss；　I　was　thinking　how　Mr。　Hazlewood　said　that
God　fits　our　place　to　us；　and　us　to　our　place。〃

〃Thank　you；　Cherry；　you　are　leaving　me　something　to　remember。〃

And　Margaret　lay　questioning　with　herself；　whether　the　schoolmistress
had　not　been　the　most　self…denying　of　the　two；　but　withal　gazing　on
the　hoop　of　pearls　which　Alan　had　chosen　as　the　ring　of　betrothal。

〃The　pearl　of　great　price；〃　murmured　she　to　herself；　〃if　we　hold
that；　the　rest　will　soon　matter　but　little。　　It　remaineth　that　both
they　that　have　wives；　be　as　they　that　have　none；　and　they　that　weep；
as　though　they　wept　not；　and　they　that　rejoice；　as　though　they
rejoiced　not！　　If　ever　Alan　and　I　have　a　home　together　upon　earth；
may　all　too　confident　joy　be　tempered　by　the　fears　that　we　have　begun
with！　　I　hope　this　probation　may　make　me　less　likely　to　be　taken　up
with　the　cares　and　pleasures　of　his　position　than　I　might　have　been
last　year。　　He　is　one　who　can　best　help　the　mind　to　go　truly　upward。
But　oh；　that　voyage！〃




CHAPTER　XXIX。



Heart　affluence　in　household　talk；
From　social　fountains　never　dry。TENNYSON。


〃What　a　bore！〃

〃What's　the　matter　now？〃

〃Here　has　this　old　fellow　asked　me　to　dinner　again！〃

〃A　fine　pass　we　are　come　to！〃　　cried　Dr。　May；　half　amused；　half
irate。　　〃I　should　like　to　know　what　I　should　have　said　at　your　age　if
the　head…master　had　asked　me　to　dinner。〃

〃Papa　is　not　so　very　fond　of　dining　at　Dr。　Hoxton's；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃A
whipper…snapper　schoolboy；　who　might　be　thankful　to　dine　anywhere！〃
continued　Dr。　May；　while　the　girls　burst　out　laughing；　and　Norman
looked　injured。

〃It　is　very　ungrateful　of　Norman；〃　said　Flora；　〃I　cannot　see　what　he
finds　to　complain　of。〃

〃You　would　know；〃　said　Norman；　〃if；　instead　of　playing　those
perpetual　tunes　of　yours；　you　had　to　sit　it　out　in　that　perfumy
drawing…room；　without　anything　to　listen　to　worth　hearing。　　If　I　have
looked　over　that　court　album　once；　I　have　a　dozen　times；　and　there　is
not　another　book　in　the　place。〃

〃I　am　glad　there　is　not；〃　said　Flora。　　〃I　am　quite　ashamed　to　see　you
for　ever　turning　over　those　old　pictures。　　You　cannot　guess　how
stupid　you　look。　　I　wonder　Mrs。　Hoxton　likes　to　have　you；〃　she　added；
patting　his　shoulders　between　jest　and　earnest。

〃I　wish　she　would　not；　then。　　It　is　only　to　escort　you。〃

〃Nonsense；　Norman；　you　know　better；〃　cried　Ethel。　　〃You　know　it　is
for　your　own　sake；　and　to　make　up　for　their　injustice；　that　he
invites　you；　or　Flora　either。〃

〃Hush；　Ethel！　he　gives　himself　quite　airs　enough　already；〃　said　the
doctor。

〃Papa！〃　said　Ethel；　in　vexation；　though　he　gave　her　a　pinch　to　show
it　was　all　in　good　humour；　while　he　went　on；　〃I　am　glad　to　hear　they
do　leave　him　to　himself　in　a　corner。　　A　very　good　thing　too！　　Where
else　should　a　great　gawky　schoolboy　be？〃

〃Safe　at　home；　where　I　wish　he　would　let　me　be；〃　muttered　Norman；
though　he　contrived　to　smile；　and　followed　Flora　out　of　the　room；
without　subjecting　himself　to　the　imputation　of　offended　dignity。

Ethel　was　displeased；　and　began　her　defence：　〃Papa；　I　wish〃　and
there　she　checked　herself。

〃Eh！　Miss　Ethel's　bristles　up！〃　said　her　father；　who　seemed　in　a
somewhat　mischievous　mood　of　teasing。

〃How　could　you；　papa？〃　cried　she。

〃How　could　I　what；　Miss　Etheldred？〃

〃Plague　Norman；〃the　words　would　come。　　〃Accuse　him　of　airs。〃

〃I　hate　to　see　young　fellows　above　taking　an　honour　from　their
elders；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃Now；　papa；　papa；　you　know　it　is　no　such　thing。　　Dr。　Hoxton's　parties
are　very　dullyou　know　they　are；　and　it　is　not　fair　on　Norman。　　If
he　was　set　up　and　delighted　at　going　so　often；　then　you　would　call
him　conceited。〃

〃Conceit　has　a　good　many　lurking…places；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃It　is
harder　to　go　and　be　overlooked；　than　to　stay　at　home。〃

〃Now；　papa；　you　are　not　to　call　Norman　conceited；〃　cried　Ethel。　　〃You
don't　believe　that　he　is　any　such　thing。〃

〃Why；　not　exactly；〃　said　Dr。　May；　smiling。　〃The　boy　has　missed　it
marvellously；　but；　you　see；　he　has　everything　that　subtle　imp　would
wish　to　feed　upon；　and　it　is　no　harm　to　give　him　a　lick　with　the
rough　side　of　the　tongue；　as　your　canny　Scots　grandfather　used　to
say。〃

〃Ah！　if　you　knew；　papa〃　began　Ethel。

〃If　I　knew？〃

〃No；　no；　I　must　not　tell。〃

〃What；　a　secret；